Mackay weather in December

In December, Mackay sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 24°C, with 117 mm of rain across 11.6 wet days and about 13.3 hours of daylight. It is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in December, and the air most often feels oppressive.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 12 min at the start of December to 13 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Mackay's 9th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Mackay's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
3rd warmest
Overnight low
24°
10th coldest
Rainfall
117 mm
11.6 wet days
Daylight
13 h 18 min
5:21 AM – 6:38 PM
Cloud cover
45%
9th clearest
Wind
18 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
6.57 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.4
out of 10

Mackay is city in Queensland, Australia.

Air quality
Good
PM10 24.1 µg/m³ · 2019
Founded
1875

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 28°C through the month.

A typical December day in Mackay reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 24°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 29°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 1°C warmer than November and on par with January.

20°23°25°28°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12724
22724
32724
42724
52724
62724
72724
82824
92824
102824
112824
122824
132824
142824
152824
162824
172824
182824
192824
202824
212824
222824
232825
242825
252825
262825
272825
282825
292825
302825
312825

Mackay weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 3rd-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan28° / 25°21415.813.15.5
Feb28° / 25°22417.212.75.0
Mar27° / 24°17115.212.15.8
Apr26° / 22°891311.56.5
May24° / 19°5410.6117.1
Jun22° / 17°437.810.77.4
Jul21° / 16°324.310.87.8
Aug22° / 17°254.311.38.1
Sep23° / 19°163.511.98.6
Oct25° / 21°34612.58.1
Nov27° / 23°648.4137.3
Dec28° / 24°11711.613.36.4

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 52% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 30%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17921
27822
37822
47822
57624
67624
77525
87525
97327
107327
117228
127129
137129
147030
157030
166931
176931
186832
196832
206733
216733
226634
236634
246634
256535
266535
276634
286535
296535
306634
316535

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Mackay gets around 117 mm of rain over 11.6 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 38% and peaks near 48% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
131
232
332
433
533
634
734
835
935
1035
1135
1236
1336
1436
1536
1636
1736
1837
1937
2038
2138
2239
2340
2441
2542
2643
2744
2845
2946
3047
3148

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of December feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, December lands in the oppressive band about 47% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 94% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
11245394
21144404
31043425
4942435
5841446
6841456
7741457
8640467
9640468
10541468
11541469
12541459
13541459
14542449
15542449
16542449
17542439
18542449
19541449
20541459
21540459
22539469
235384810
245374910
255365010
265345110
275335210
284315510
294305511
304285711
314275712

Wind in December

Winds average 18 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 18 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1418light breeze
1518light breeze
1618light breeze
1718light breeze
1818light breeze
1918light breeze
2018light breeze
2118light breeze
2218light breeze
2318light breeze
2418light breeze
2518light breeze
2618light breeze
2718light breeze
2818light breeze
2918light breeze
3018light breeze
3118light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 12 min at the start of December to 13 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:17 AM to 5:28 AM, and sunset from 6:29 PM to 6:45 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.25:176:29
213.25:176:30
313.25:186:30
413.25:186:31
513.25:186:31
613.25:186:32
713.25:186:33
813.25:196:33
913.35:196:34
1013.35:196:34
1113.35:196:35
1213.35:206:36
1313.35:206:36
1413.35:206:37
1513.35:216:37
1613.35:216:38
1713.35:216:38
1813.35:226:39
1913.35:226:39
2013.35:236:40
2113.35:236:40
2213.35:246:41
2313.35:246:41
2413.35:256:42
2513.35:256:42
2613.35:266:43
2713.35:266:43
2813.35:276:44
2913.35:276:44
3013.35:286:44
3113.35:286:45

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.57 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 3.61 kWh/m² to a high of 6.65 kWh/m² in November across the year — December's 6.57 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.7Intense
56.7Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.7Intense
136.7Intense
146.7Intense
156.6Intense
166.6Intense
176.6Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.6Intense
236.6Intense
246.6Intense
256.6Intense
266.6Intense
276.6Intense
286.6Intense
296.6Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Mackay

In seasonPeak

In December, Mackay sits inside its cyclone and monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Mackay sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.

Mackay's monsoon runs December–March, when most of the year's rain falls.

Cyclone
Monsoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is December a good time to visit Mackay?

Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.4
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
6.7
Beach & pool
4th-best month of the year

December is a reasonable time to visit Mackay for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Mackay in December

From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In December, Mackay sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 24°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 12 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

Sea temperature near Mackay in December

The nearest coast averages about 28°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 22 km away) is warmest in February at about 28°C and coldest in July near 21°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDeccoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan28Tropical
Feb28Tropical
Mar28Warm
Apr26Warm
May24Warm
Jun22Refreshing
Jul21Refreshing
Aug21Refreshing
Sep23Refreshing
Oct25Warm
Nov26Warm
Dec28Warm

UV index in Mackay in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Mackay peaks around February 10 at about 16 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 23 at about 7 (high).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeVery highHighVery highExtremeFeb 10UV 16Jun 23UV 7
UV index (midday)Level
Jan15Extreme
Feb16Extreme
Mar13Extreme
Apr11Extreme
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul7High
Aug8Very high
Sep10Extreme
Oct12Extreme
Nov13Extreme
Dec13Extreme
Location & terrain

Where is Mackay?

Mackay sits at 21.2°S, 149.2°E, 11 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Airlie Beach, 109 km away.

RockhamptonTownsvilleKirwanGladstoneBundabergHervey BayCairns

Topography around Mackay

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Mackay.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Mackay has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 17 m around an average of 8 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 300 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,248 m.

The land around Mackay is covered by artificial surfaces (43%) and grassland (23%) within 3 km, water (35%) within 16 km, and water (52%) and trees (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
17 m
16 km
300 m
80 km
1,248 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwatermangroves
December weather nearby: Airlie Beach 109 km · Rockhampton 283 km · Townsville 324 km · Kirwan 327 km · Gladstone 369 km · Bundaberg 526 km · Hervey Bay 589 km · Cairns 591 km

Australia travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type I
230 V · 50 Hz
Prices
≈ 90% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$65,130
2025
Happiness
6.9 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Homicide rate
0.9
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
4.9
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
none 38%Roman Catholic 20%Protestant 18%other Christian 4%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Mackay (-21.1534°, 149.1655°, elevation 11 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).